Board Service Spotlight: Brian McCallion

Ingrained in the culture of Goldman Sachs is giving back to the communities we serve. In this new spotlight, we feature the dedication of colleagues in our community through board service and the organizations they serve.

Brian McCallion is head of Controllers in Salt Lake City at Goldman Sachs and serves on the firm’s Salt Lake City Leadership Council. He has served on the Board of Directors of United Way of Salt Lake’s (UWSL) since 2019. UWSL is dedicated to pursuing lasting social change on some of the toughest challenges facing Salt Lake, including poverty, poor health and lagging educational achievement. 

“As a United Way of Salt Lake board member, I’m able to utilize many of the tools and skillsets from my daily role to help ensure the UWSL continues to be able to do its important work in the Salt Lake City community.”

How did you get involved? How long have you been on the board?

In early 2019, Kieu Frisby, a Managing Director in Compliance, approached me about joining the board as she was rolling off to spend more time as a board member of Catholic Community Services of Utah. I officially joined the United Way of Salt Lake board in July of 2019.

Why are you passionate about United Way of Salt Lake City’s mission?

Making sure kids have a great education, enough to eat, and a safe place to live means happier, healthier adults, and that creates great outcomes for communities. I truly believe that utilizing collective impact and creating coalitions will drive long term progress in Salt Lake City.

What do you count as your greatest collaboration and contribution as a board member? Share with us a meaningful memory when you felt the weight of the org’s impact and the Board’s efforts.

As a United Way of Salt Lake board member, I’m able to utilize many of the tools and skillsets from my daily role to help ensure the UWSL continues to be able to do its important work in the Salt Lake City community. For example, I am currently the chair of the Finance and Investment Committee. I think my proudest moment was getting the opportunity to share with United Way of Salt Lake that they were a recipient of $250,000 from the Goldman Sachs COVID-19 Relief Fund in April 2020. GS made $38 million commitment in relief funding at a time when the communities were in desperate need of help. 

“I feel deeply grateful to work with Brian and to have the benefit of his leadership on our Board of Directors. His financial expertise is crucial, and his thoughtful guidance around overall issues of strategy, culture and organizational leadership are a true gift.” – Bill Crim, President & CEO, United Way of Salt Lake

United Way of Salt Lake City and Goldman Sachs Partnership Over the Years: 

2010 – Provided a $500,000 investment in research and understanding of early childhood data in Utah.

2012 – Established the first-of-its-kind pay-for success Social Impact bond, which led to Utah’s first ever public preschool funding. Resulting in 4,000 preschoolers getting access to high-quality pre-K

2016 – Initial investor in the grassroots program increasing community voice and engagement.

2022 – Supported a nonprofit incubator for agencies led by people of color and supported a growing Career Technical Education pathways program focused on skills based careers at Hillcrest High School.

2023 – Supporting Career Technical Education pathways as a key strategy to the 5-year goal to reach 100% graduation rate at Cottonwood High School.